Brass Shankh Diya, Multi Wick, 800 g

Name: Brass Shankh Diya, Multi Wick, 800 g
Brand: PEETAL PARAMPARA
SKU: PP-BR-POO-SHD-060
Price: 2899.0 INR
Availability: InStock

A flat brass shankh diya with a row of round wick holes along the scalloped border.

Rs. 2,899.00

Price includes GST.

Weight: 800g

Material: Brass, unlacquered
Motif: A conch in relief, the whorl coiled at the centre and the lip opening to one side
Use: Set flat on a mandir shelf or on a pooja thali and lit at Diwali
In the box: 1 brass shankh diya plate

Check delivery to your PIN code

Estimated, not a guarantee. Dispatched from Guwahati, Monday to Saturday.

Each piece is shaped and finished by hand, so small differences in weight, size, finish and surface marking are normal and no two are identical. Colour on screen can differ from the metal in daylight. Handmade in India.

The conch lies flat, its whorl coiled at the centre and the lip of the shell opening out to one side, with the surface behind it cut in fine parallel strokes so the light breaks up across it. Round wick holes are set into the scalloped border that edges the shell, each one ringed with a fluted collar and dished out in the middle to take oil and a wick. The apex stands proud at the far end as its own pointed lobe.

What is it?

A shankh diya is an oil lamp whose body takes the form of a conch, the shell that is blown at the opening of a rite, so the object carries the emblem and the flame at the same time.

Also known as a conch lamp, shankh deep, shankha diya or pital shankh lamp.

What is in the box?

1 brass shankh diya plate

How do I look after it?

Wash by hand with a mild dishwashing liquid and a soft sponge. Dry fully with a cloth before putting it away — water left standing is what causes spotting.
Brass darkens. It reacts with air and with the oils on your hands, and a piece in daily use will dull within weeks. That is the metal telling you it is not plated.
To bring the shine back: a paste of lemon juice and salt, or tamarind pulp, or a proprietary brass cleaner. Rub, rinse, dry. Two minutes.
Do not use steel wool, scouring pads or bleach.
Not dishwasher safe. Not microwave safe.
If you would rather it stayed dark, leave it alone — a settled patina protects the surface.

Handmade in India

Every piece finished by hand

Solid metal

No plating, nothing to chip

Weighed and listed

In grams, on almost every page

Tin lining stated

Where a vessel is lined, we say so

Questions about this piece

Is this brass solid or plated?

Solid, and cast in one piece. At 800 g for a flat plate this size the metal is thick enough that the wells are sunk into it rather than pressed through it, which a kitchen scale will bear out.

Will it look exactly like the photograph?

The shape will. The colour may not, because the piece was shot under a bright light that pulls the polished shell paler than it reads in a room. The relief and the wells are the same on every one.

Is this the same as a real conch shell?

No. It is brass, cast in the form of a conch and left flat at the back so it sits on a shelf. A real shankh is a shell, it is hollow, and it can be blown. This one is a lamp and holds oil.

How do I clean it after pooja?

Wipe each well out while it is still warm so the oil does not set into the fluting. For soot at the rims, warm water and a soft brush, then dry the whole plate before it goes back on the shelf.

Can I use ghee instead of oil?

Yes. The wells are small, so a spoon of ghee to each one is enough for an evening. Clear the last of it out while the plate is warm or it hardens into a ring you have to scrape.